Kazbek Orchestra was created in 1975. It has
collected much of its musical impressions and inspirations from
the music of Russian emigrants living in Stockholm during the 1930s
and 1940s. Lately, its repertoir has come to contain complementary
types of eastern european music, as well as arranged Russian folk
music. Rehearsals normally take place every Thursday in home environments.
With the conductor Bertil Runefelt the orchestra has given numerous
concerts and performances, has occurred in mass media, in churches,
at parties and feasts. Each year, a performance is given for the
homeless. During the 1990s, Kazbek has participated in several
balalajka festivals in Russia, mostly connected to international
musical cruises on the Volga. Many countries have been visited.
In Berwald Concert Hall, the orchestra in Jan 2002 arranged a great
festival with 180 international balalajka musicians. In 2004, the
Second International Balalajka Festival took place in the Old Musical
Academy, Stockholm, with over 100 mainly Nordic and Russian musicians.
In 2005, the orchestra made a tour on the isle of Gotland in eastern
Sweden. In the summer of 2006, the Third Inter-national Balalajka
Festival was arranged in Halsingland in northern Sweden.

For more information about Kazbek.
Please, send an e-mail to our presidentTomas Ohlin.